


When The Love Falls

by JustaTWDfangirl



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Baseball, Daryl liked energy drink, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff and Humor, High School, Kissing, Love Confession, Love Story, M/M, Realization, Rick was oblivious, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-18 22:03:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16127654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustaTWDfangirl/pseuds/JustaTWDfangirl
Summary: Rick went on a date with Lori Wayne - the cheerleader of Alexandria High School, but then came to realize that something felt wrong with him staying here trying to work out a tryst he wasn't sure he himself wanted and his friends from the baseball team were also at the festival to-- What the hell were they doing here anyway?





	When The Love Falls

**Author's Note:**

> My second work! Truly hope you like it^^

 “What'd you just say? Lori Wayne invited you on a date?”

“Well yeah. What do you think about her?”

Daryl was sitting in the bleacher, his right hand holding a tin containing the full-of-caffeine liquid called Monster Energy. He perked up and stared in amazement at Rick who was standing on the field in his tight-fitting baseball pants.

“What do I think? There’s nothin' to say. She’s the cheerleader of our school man. Tons of people wanna date her.”

“Do you?”

Daryl shook the tin to see how much in there's left. “No, count me out. She’s not my type.”

“You’ve never told me about your type Daryl.” Rick actually pouted. Daryl knew the boy didn’t even acknowledge that he’s doing it until someone told him.

“Shut up Rick. You already knew how it is.” Daryl ducked his head as he felt himself working on a faint blush.

Long ago Daryl'd realized that he’s different than the others when he thought about how beautiful the white gymnastics T-shirts looked on his male classmates and sometimes he sneaked a few peeps at some of the boys’ wet back in the changing room at sixth grade. He's born and grew up in a place where had made him think that difference was no good. His dad once went and beat a gay couple black and blue who was unfortunately in the same bar as him at the time and the man had droned on it for two whole weeks whenever he’s at home with his sons. That’s the reason why Daryl had and would never tell his dad the truth about who he was.

But the young archer had revealed that deepest secret of him to Rick when they met in high school. They’re so attuned like two pieces of the yin-yang symbol and had become close friends ever since once Rick didn’t look at him as if he was a three-headed monster and went to tell the whole school about what he’d just confessed. Now that they’d understood each other more deeply, Daryl could say he trusted Rick more than his own drunkard of a father and a mother who only appeared in his far-away dreams.

Rick, luckily not noticing Daryl’s musing, or thankfully ignoring it for the boy’s sake, swung the bat back and forth, the sound added sporadically in the heated air. “Alright. I know you don’t like soft skin and red lipstick and long legs and stuff.” Oh he liked long legs alright. “Yet the girls in school still think they might get a chance and look at you with those hungry looks. Remember Carol, the short white haired girl who knocked you on the chest with her food tray the other day?”

“I think she’s pretty nice actually. But hey, we’re talkin’ ‘bout you!” Daryl tried not to look at Rick’s sweaty arms and swaying bowlegs when he swung his body abruptly in practiced movements. “So how did she invite ya?”

“Went straight to the field where the team was practicing yesterday afternoon. Said it for the whole group to hear and I didn’t think it was a bad idea so, I said yes.”

Rick moved closer to Daryl, looking at him with his sky eyes. The young archer lost his self-control which was his mouth at that moment and blurted out. “But you’ve always turned down the previous invitations though. Why Lori? You like her?”

He said them while wearing the best poker face he could manage, not realizing that Rick had swiftly grabbed the tin in his hand and stepped back with a wicked smile.

“Rick, give it back ta me. I’m gonna gut ya if ya don’t.” He glared.

“Not a chance. This thing won’t do you any good, Mr. Dixon.” Rick mimicked Michonne's- their physics teacher - voice along with her grim expression that had never failed to make Daryl laugh. He took a gulp and burped shortly.

In an instant Daryl launched himself out to the field, chasing the other boy who just had enough time to throw the bat onto the grass and run with all his might with the tin still clutched in one hand. Different from the grumpy, quiet redneck kid he showed most of the people, Daryl ran very fast and once had a fist of Rick’s back shirt, he tackled the batter to the ground. The two laughed breathlessly while trying to push and punch the other away under the blinding sun of May.

“Ah no!” They stopped when the drink wavered from the struggle and splattered on Rick’s already stained shirt. Daryl reached for his tin and lifted himself up from the other’s body then flopped down next to him.

Rick sat up as well. He turned to look at Daryl’s flickering hair at the back of his head in the wind. Some of the students outside the field had stopped walking and giggled while raising their phones to take pictures of them.

After having a large gulp, Daryl put the thing down and unceremoniously flipped them the bird.

Rick barked out a laugh at the sight and Daryl joined him later when the girls gasped and one of them returned the gesture. The archer was creating this weird, raucous laughter that only him could make which Rick thought was so endearing. His own stomach was hurt and funny from laughing. He punched Daryl's shoulder lightly with one fist.

“You hit me in my ribcage, dumbass.”

"Sorry." Daryl said. "But you elbowed me on the chest too, so we're square."

Rick bring up his hand to wipe the tears from his eyes. He didn’t know Daryl was looking at him. “Ya haven’t answered my question just now.”

The batter diverted his gaze from Daryl’s face toward the open space in front of them. “Want to have somebody. Someone who understands me, I think so.”

Daryl bit his lip to prevent himself from saying anything. Instead he let the wind dry his sweaty face with carefree touches.

“Lori. She seems nice, I guess.” He finally said.

“Yeah.” Rick pushed himself up off the ground and gave Daryl a hand. He stared at the offering hand for a while then grabbed it firmly and let himself be pulled up. They cleaned up their belongings to come home. After dropping the empty can onto the overflowing dumpster, the archer put the New York Yankees hat he’d just gathered on the other’s head.

“Ya have a good time.”

And Daryl started to walk away when he noticed the baseball team was approaching them, leaving Rick to deal with a bunch of should-be-funny funny stories and all the shoulder bumps making his body sway all sides, plus a punch he didn’t know which way it came from that the owner was no one else but Philip, Rick was sure of that - everyone knew the guy had had a crush on Lori since his first year of high school.

Later that night Rick couldn’t put himself to sleep as he wanted to. He blamed the yellowy drink for it. Yes, definitely it was the drink, not the strange look Daryl gave him sometimes, nor the boy’s timid smile hidden under his hair when they’re sitting at their usual places, talking about the stupidest things two teenage boys could ever think of. He liked Daryl’s smiles, and the other boy liked to hide them, like he’s not allowed to smile and if he did, someone’s gonna come and take away his source of happiness instantly. Rick wished Daryl had known how much he deserved to be happy, 'cause the boy was one of the kindest people he’d ever met, despite his family: a dad who wasn’t worthy to be called father and a careless brother. Daryl was strong, Rick admired him for that.

Before he realized his best friend's smiles had fluttered something new and old at the same time in his heart, he fell to sleep, dreaming about dandelions and jumping fishes.

 

\--

 

It was Sunday and Rick was standing in front of Lori Wayne’s house – cheerleader of Alexandria High School - the girl who had silky brown hair and a pretty face, and a dreamy pair of eyes – the latter was Philip’s. He straightened up when Lori stepped out of the house wearing a yellow sunny side dress and slim high heels. Rick closed the door once she’d settled in the Toyota Fortuner - it would be his completely when he graduated - and climbed in as well.

“You look handsome today.” Lori turned to him and said. And Rick was already having a stuffiness which would soon become sinusitis if he didn’t breathe through his mouth because of the rose fragrant she was putting on.

“Thanks Lori. You look great too.” He smiled back at her. “Now shall we go?”

 

The Summer festival’s packed full of people and it was hot in the air. Kids running around holding ice-creams, sweaty adults and clingy lovers. Pennon flags were stretched everywhere like cobwebs. At the corner of a pavilion, a band wearing cowboy hats was playing guitars and singing. Pinwheel and balloon sellers walked around with colourful make-ups on their faces. The melodies of _September_ were pouring out from the rusty speakers.

 

 _Ba de ya, say do you remember_  
_Ba de ya, dancing in September_  
_Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day_

 _Ba de ya, say do you remember_  
_Ba de ya, dancing in September_  
_Ba de ya, golden dreams were shinny days_

 

“So where do you want to go first?” Rick asked as they went on.

“Anywhere is alright. The truth is I just want to be close to you.” Lori hooked her arm with his and leaned in closer to him.

“Okay then.” Rick hoped he would work this date out.

As he spotted a cotton candy hawker, he enthusiastically turned to Lori. “You want one?”

“Sorry but I don’t, thanks. If I eat that candy which was made of 100% sugar I’m gonna get plump and besides, it’ll absolutely break my strict detox course. You know, being a cheerleader and all.”

“I see.” They walked past the hawker and Rick couldn’t help but think how Daryl would love those gorgeous candies if he’s here. That boy had a big ass sweet tooth.

They went by the Merry Go Round, its edgings were attached with sparkling Led lights and Lori said she wanted to play it. She sat on a white horse, her legs were on the same side because of the short dress and she faced toward him, smiling as the programmed horse went up and down. Philip was right, this girl was indeed beautiful with long dark hair hanging down her face along with her pink cheeks.

But something made Rick feel...wrong. Like he’s falling in an emulator that he’s a person who’s watching a screen which had another him in there. While the guy on the screen was acting and doing things with a “standard smile” on his face, the watcher seemed to have more emotions and reactions. Somehow Rick the observer wanted to turn off the screen and walk out of the dark room he’s staying in.

That’s not the weirdest thought he’d ever produced. Sometimes human brain could think of weird things that only they themselves could understand.

“Hey? You thinking of something?” As he lost himself in his thoughts, Lori had noticed and turned to ask him.

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.” Rick quickly covered.

“Okaay...” Her voice showed some skepticism but other than that she said nothing more. When the turn was over and they stepped down, a kid ran a little too fast and flung his body into Rick. After throwing a quick apology over his shoulder the boy went forward to where his parents were waiting.

“I haven’t played it again since I was like-what? Ten?” Lori walked and the dress swayed along her steps.

“Yeah. Me either. That was a long time ago.” He remembered once his father was still having a moustache, he had bring Rick to some festivals when summer came. Good old days.

“Ouch!” Lori yelped suddenly. She stopped walking and crouched down to touch one of her heels with a grimace.

“What’s the matter? Does your foot hurt?”

“Yeah, The heels. They’re scratching my skin.” She tucked her hair behind her ear after straightening up.

“Come on. Let’s find somewhere to sit down.” Rick nodded.

He helped her eased down a bench near there and Lori whined. “New shoes problem. Think my feet will fall out from my legs any time.”

Chuckled Rick. “It’s not that bad, Lori. So uhm, you need ice? I can go and get some.”

As he rounded the corner of a food counter, Rick noticed a group of very uneasily familiar people standing together and he thought they’re having a staring contest with the nearby tree roots as all of them ducked their heads down, hmm, are they avoiding looking at his way?

“What are you guys doin’ here?” Rick stalked toward them with long strides and in no time he came face-to-back with the group - his friends from the baseball team.

“Aw hell man! You caught us.” Abraham clucked his tongue and all of them groaned while turning around. “Thought we’d hidden well.”

“No I don't think so.” Bob, Aaron, Abraham, Eugene, Glen with his girlfriend Maggie were here and... "The hell’s that?” Rick winced when his eyes landed on a moving hot dog standing next to Maggie, on its trunk the dumbass face of Philip appeared.

“I sell hot dogs, Rick.” Philip raised his hands up exasperatedly. “Want one? What’s more is buy two combos and you’ll be given a fresh coke.”

“What’s more is you shut up Blake.” Aaron said and Rick couldn’t agree more. “Listen, we’re here only to have fun just like you buddy.”

“Is that so?” Rick tilted his head slightly. Aaron swayed towards the rest of the group, silently asking for backup.

“Yeah, we didn’t even have the intention to spy on you in the first place when Lori asked you out the other day man.” Just like that Glenn got an upside slap on the back of his head from Bob.

“They included me myself solely wanted to be sure that you can pull off a date with your first girl in the most successful way as possible without having any hindrance is all. Because according to my trustable source of information, her former boyfriend had unfortunately got a fine right hook from the girl after daring to break up with her the previous month. We simply do not want to see you end up sporting a shiner because of Lori’s temper when meeting us the next day, right guys?” Eugene chanted without blinking then looked around to find support. They nodded approvingly. Except for Philip who mumbled something like “I’ll have my fingers crossed for it” under his breath.

“I’m not a damn kid anymore guys. Sure don’t need being babysat like this. Think I could handle things on my own.” Rick sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“So is the date going well?” Aaron asked, putting his arm around Rick’s shoulders.

“It’s good. Now go home all of you.” The batter peeled the arm off because he didn’t want to receive a shiner from Eric. No thank you. “I swear you guys are the idlest people I’ve ever known.”

“Well Daryl is not so much though.” Maggie added carefully then gauged his expression. “Bet he’s crying in his lonely bed and watching Discovery at the same time.”

“What? He’s crying?” Rick’s heart jumped to his throat at it. These few days they didn’t hang out much with each other despite both of their willing due to busy practice schedule and Daryl’s part time job at Joe’s. And although he knew Maggie might be playing him because Daryl never watched Discovery, if it did help somehow in this situation, he couldn't help feeling worried.

“His Rick is going on a date so what else can he do? Lucky you. If I was him I’d beat your ass.” Abraham jabbed him in the chest with his thick finger.

“I’m gonna call him now.” Rick rolled his eyes. There’s no way Daryl would cry, and cry about this. Right? Did the archer feel anything like unease or annoyed when he’s with other people like this? And why did all of that matter anyway?

Bob shook his head after they left Rick alone. “He's so blind we gotta show him the way. The poor boy didn't know his own heart has belonged to Daryl."

“Yep. Not Lori.” Philip nodded thoughtfully.

Maggie sighed.

"Those two idiots will make me crazy one day for real.”

 

\--

 

When the circus was out of sight, he fished the phone out and hit Daryl’s number. Rick hadn’t known how much he wanted to hear the other’s voice until his phone went on half a minute. Finally, Daryl picked up.

 _“What is it Grimes?”_ He sounded a little rough.

“Hey. Are you sick?” Rick tried to control his voice but it still slipped out a small hint of worry.

_“I’m not.”_

“C'mon, don’t lie to me. You only call me ‘Grimes’ when you’re upset.”

_“...”_

_“Ya wrong man. I’m fine lyin' on my comfy couch and watchin' TV. Ya disturbin' the moment, ya know that?”_

“Alright alright, I'm sorry. But do you know the whole gang is here, at the festival?”

 _“No way! What the hell are they doin’ there?_ ” Rick heard Daryl jumped out from his _bed_.

“They went all Sherlock Holmes on my date. God can you believe these guys.” Rick shook his head and smiled.

 _“Nah don’t believe them and what they said. A goddamn zoo."_ Daryl snorted but Rick knew he mean no harm.

“But Daryl, is everything really alright?”

 _“Of course. What in the world's gonna break me?”_ Daryl snuffled.

“A pack of twelve Monsters.” He said. “Too much caffeine.”

 _“Huh, shut up.”_ Rick barked out a husky chuckle. He heard Daryl’s breath hitching slightly.

_“Uhm so how’s the date? Guess it’s not so good that you even have time to call me man.”_

“We haven’t kissed yet, if you want to know.”

_“Surprised she hasn’t fled away for dear life.”_

“You are not supportive at all.” 

Daryl laughed into his phone and Rick wondered how the archer’s face looked like right now. How his thin lips stretched out to show the canines and how his pale blue eyes glimmered. He wanted to see it all.

A moment flew by as they got silent, listening to the other’s quiet breathing. Eventually Rick smacked his lips together and said with a quiet sigh.

“Okay. I got to go now Dare. Won’t disturb your precious moment anymore.”

 _“Rick?”_ Daryl’s voice sounded strained.

“....Yeah?” Something in it made Rick hesitate too. “What is it?”

_“…"_

_“Forget it. Bye.”_ And the line was dead. Rick merely stared down the phone screen until it turned black.

 

\--

 

“Why don’t you tell me ‘bout yourself? ” Rick nodded toward Lori as they sat on the bench.

“God, do you know you sounded exactly like a cop just now?” Lori reached down to apply the ice and looked at him with an incredulous expression.

“People used to say that to me too."

And Rick let her talk about her family, about the cheering work, or her friends’ dramatic love stories. Her favourite fragrant brand, the nice dress she wanted to buy at a store she passed by the other day and her wanting to keep a puppy lately. Rick sometimes nodded and added something like "Is that so” or "I see” to show her that he was indulging in her talk which was partly true. Talking to people helped you to understand them better and explore some truths. Such as, Lori wasn't exactly like what people thought of her – a cheeky, shrewish cheerleader. She had her own thinking about life and future plan. Sometimes she felt sad because almost everyone expected her to be perfect so when she failed something, they would ironize her, covertly or glaringly. Rick put a hand on Lori's shoulder when her eyes glistened to show her some support he could offer.

“You’re a good listener.” She smiled.

“Maybe, but I’m not really a good talker.” Rick shrugged and pulled back his hand.

“How that happen?”

“It means that like... I’m not good at talking about my feeling and stuff, and people who talks to me misunderstands my silence sometimes. Guess they think I don’t like them. Something like that.”

“Then that is what we will do. Talk. C'mon, express yourself to me. This is a date after all.” Lori clapped her hands together excitedly.

Rick bring one of his own up to bite at the nail, a habit he learned from someone he knew. “Erm, let’s see. I used to like football more than baseball when I was in the first year of high school.”

“Really? What you’re doing in the baseball team is quite impressive but I think you’ll be a perfect match with Shane if you enroll in the football team.”

“That your ex?”

“Yup. That idiot broke up with me because he’s always busy for the games.” Lori did the mocking gesture with her two fingers and rolled her eyes.

“You made him sound like a dickhead.” Rick did know Shane a little bit and the guy seemed okay although he was a loud mouth jock.

“Which is true. For you to know, I’ve filled my three notebook pages with ‘Shane is a dickhead’.”

“Yeah, and give him a shiner.”

“What? He totally deserved it.” Lori wore her heels back and made a move to stand up.

“Hey, you don’t have to try if you’re hurt. We can cancel here and go out another day. It’s okay.” Rick didn’t want to impose anything.

“No, it’s fine now, really. And besides, I don’t want to have our first date interrupted just because of my pair of shoes, you know?” Lori walked around to prove the point and added craftily. “Or you can carry me on the back, Prince Charming.”

She lost her balance a few seconds later and almost felt but Rick had quickly reached out to steady her out of reflex. He didn’t want to think about how her chest squeezed lightly between them as she looked up at him with her lips parted and her eyelashes hang low.

Too soft.

Rick felt himself pull away. The movement made Lori wobbled a bit.

"Sorry, I just... Let's move on now yeah?”

 

\--

 

So they decided to continue the date. All in all Rick quite liked the Roller Coaster even though Lori got one of her false eyelashes flown out and the thing was stuck on Eugene’s left cheek who sat a few rows back. The afternoon sunk down with pink clouds and cool winds. Lori stepped on the cabin of the ferris-wheel with Rick’s help, the last game they'd chosen to play.

As the cabin raised up slowly, Rick could see the overview of the festival getting darker as the late light was retreating. Led wires still sparkled and were brighter in the shadow. People were gathering at a stage to listen to some hired bands playing. It was pretty high so he couldn’t hear anything really. He turned to see Lori looking at him with a soft smile.

“It’s nice up here.” He said, his eyes squinting a little bit to block the sunlight.

“It is right?”

“Yeah. But listen, there’s something I want to ask you.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. There’s this nagging feeling inside of him that demanded to be resolved or it’s gonna graze on his soul. Rick just couldn’t help thinking about what if Daryl, his best friend was here with him, not Lori the girl he’s having a date with. Would the boy love the shooting games? Would he laugh at the clownish ghosts in the Haunted House like Rick had? Would he look at Rick and tell him how much fun the archer’d had at the end of the day? And so much more questions.

Wasn’t it weird to think about his best friend like that? Like he’s... in love with Daryl.

God. What if he was?

“What is it? You can ask me anything.”

Lori’s expectant look almost made him feel bad. “How do you know when you’re in love with someone?”

She thought for a moment and answered. “How do you know when you’re in love with someone? Well, it is when you’re with them, you feel like yourself. When you’re apart from each other, you miss them very badly, and you just want to listen to their voice over and over...”

Oh. He did want to listen to Daryl’s rough voice when they didn’t meet, and he had always felt comfortable around the boy.

“And you think their smile is really beautiful, like what the hell how can they smile so perfectly like that?”

Rick liked his best friend’s smile a lot. He thought it was normal? No?

“You think about them and it makes you smile suddenly. And this is how you know you’re so in love with them.”

It’s what he did all the goddamn time.

“Why did you ask me that?” Lori questioned while slowly combing her hair with her slender fingers.

“I...” He couldn’t answer because his mind was drifting into the memory when he first met Daryl. Where the minacious, closed-mouthed boy who always had this redneck vibe around him was crouching down to feed a scrawny kitty in a jumbled alley near the school. The boy’s easy smile when the small animal licked the bread-crumb in his hand was the most mesmerizing thing Rick had ever seen.

Maybe in the first place Rick had already known what this feeling was. But he’s too stubborn to concede it. At the beginning he thought it was the admiration and understanding, but somehow it had turned into something else deeper along the way. He remembered when they went hunting in the wood near Daryl’s house, he felt carefree and at ease as there’re only them and the trees and the chirping birds. A few times they sat by the stream after the hunt, the archer’s dark blond hair would flutter in the wind and Rick would have to press down the urge to run his hand through them and tug softly as they slid between his fingers.

He remembered how Daryl looked at him at times like that. His pale blue eyes were quiet but also wavering. His mouth quirked up when Rick told him some of his stupid stories and didn’t Rick want to put kisses to the beauty mark on his face. And the way the boy’s ears got red at the tips when people complimented him about something they didn’t think the archer could do. “I’m a Dixon after all. No one rates Dixons highly.” That’s what he said.

Rick loved his witty intelligence, loved how the boy’s biceps stained with grease when he’s at his house yard fixing Merle’s motorcycle. They looked hot as fuck if Rick was honest with himself. If people liked expensive cologne on their bodies, Daryl smelled like sweat and musk. If people wanted new style clothes, the boy only had plain t-shirts and some trousers that had seen better days. If people would like to have an animal to raise, he loved them. Well, except for the squirrels he’d eaten.

After the late realization, all Rick wanted to do was to search for Daryl, squeeze him tight, kiss his blond hair and his eyes and those pretty lips of him and say--

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lori leaning forward and when he turned his head to see what she was doing making their faces so very close, she whispered.

“You are thinking too much.”

Then she closed the distance and kissed him.

Rick’s eyes widened as he felt Lori’s lips moving on his own for a fleeting second before he pulled away sharply. Lori had on her face a confused look and her brows knitted together. Rick rubbed his hair with two hands then put them all away. He felt like a dick right now. If she decided to punch him Rick would make a promise to himself that he wouldn’t make a sound.

“I can’t. I’m so sorry.” He swallowed thickly and shook his head.

“What?” She seemed to hurt as her voice was slightly higher. “...Why?”

“Lori, there’s nothing wrong with you at all. But I... I’ve already had someone in my mind now. Someone who is very special. And thanks to you I’ve realized all of it, or maybe I was just waiting for a push.” He hoped his penance would reach Lori. “I’m a dick I and I know it. You can punch me if you want.”

“So you used me, to find out what you really want?”

“Not my first intention but yeah, I kinda did.”

Lori bring one hand up to touch her forehead. “Wow.” She said, eyes wide. “I can’t believe it. Never has anyone who denied me like that. Just wow. And the truth that you've already loved someone else makes me truly want to punch you.” She shook her head and sighed. “But since you’re the nicest guy I’ve gone out with so think I’ll let you slide, Rick.”

He took in a deep breath and nodded sincerely. "Thank you Lori."

The cabin was reaching the bottom and the noise of people cheering to the song playing on the stage was getting louder and louder. As they moved to get out, Lori patted his shoulder and raised her brows. “So you don’t intend to tell me who it is? Your special one. I really want to know how pretty she is that she can beat Lori Wayne here.”

“He." Rick corrected. " And yes he is pretty.” His face must have been wearing the dopiest smile right now. Next to him Lori gasped shockingly. The band was passionately performing with the singing along of the crowd. Rick felt his feet shaking when he stepped down to the ground because of the music thumping from the speakers they put on both sides of the stage.

 

 _Hail (hail)_  
_What's the matter with you feel right_  
_Don't you feel right baby_  
_Hail, oh yeah_  
_Get it from the main vine, all right_  
_I said-a find it, find it_  
_Go on and love it if you like it, yeah_  
_Hail (hail)_  
_It's your business if you want some, take some_  
_Get it together baby_

 

Somewhere in the crowd the baseball team made their appearance and Aaron who was wearing a ridiculously decorated cowboy hat tried to scream in Rick’s ear to combat with all the noise around them. “Rick I got to tell you something! Daryl he actually--”

“I know Aaron, guys. It took some times but I’ve figured everything out now!” Rick screamed back and Glenn who was enthusiastically shouting “ _Hail!_ ” along with the crowd got a slap at the back side of his head again from Bob.

“Then whatcha waiting for?” A big grin emerged on Abraham’s face. Rick almost forgot Lori if she didn’t groan and fly her hands up in the air to attract their attention. “Hey what about me? This is so unfair! You don’t even tell me that you’re a q— _Uhfm!_ ” A hand with fluffy glove muffled the girl’s mouth before she could finish. “Hey there’s nothing wrong at all with he being gay you hear? If you say a word like that to him again then there will no longer have free hot dogs for you anymore I swear.” The hot dog, or Philip, made the gesture for Rick to go and the batter had never felt so thankful to have his friends standing here and supporting him like this until now. Although he knew that Lori would have to go home with his friends, he believed the team would treat her nicely. Well, let's just hope so at least. He'd make it up for them and Lori later. Now he got things to do. Very important things.

“Thanks guys! I mean it!” Rick shouted as he made his way through the crowd with a pulsating heart.

On the way to Daryl's house, Rick couldn’t help biting his lip, and just then he realized that some lipstick was still on it. He quickly wiped it off and glanced at himself in the rear-view mirror, seeing the curly locks had fallen out onto his forehead together with his face which was sweating a little from the running but looking very blissful.

Rick continued to drive until the car’s tires scratched on the yard of Daryl’s house. He stepped out and inhaled deeply once. The dark was hovering in the bushes and trees since the sun had gone down almost completely. The Dixons lived closed to a clearing so there's barely any neighbour around them. The air was so quiet that Rick could hear the blood pumping in his ears. His heart was beating way too fast. He got onto the porch and knocked on the door trying not to tremble. Will Dixon had gone for a dragging bender with his friends so Rick didn't have to be discreet for the boy's sake today.

“Daryl?”

There's no one came out to answer him. The inside of the house was dark. He pulled his phone out and called Daryl, but the other end of the line only responded to him with automatic beeps. Rick’s mind went wild as he sat down on the stair and started to think. Where's he? Did he boy have the same feeling like he had for him? His eyes always looked at Rick like he wanted to say something, and the batter had a hunch it was really the same to what he needed to say to Daryl right now.

“What the hell ya doin' here?”

Rick lifted his head up and immediately saw the person he was looking for. Daryl’s shoulder carried his hunting crossbow, and he was wearing a wife-beater and dark faded jeans, like he’d only had the time to put on the jeans because he’d wanted to get out of the bedroom so bad and into the wood, where Daryl felt calm the most. His face’s a mix of astonishment, confusion and ... happiness? Yes that's definitely happiness.

Rick sensed himself moving and before he knew it, he was standing in front of Daryl. The boy blinked as Rick raised up a hand to touch his face softly with his slightly trembling fingers. Daryl's now dark blue ocean eyes reflexed some of the sunlight left, his hair outlined with golden colour and just like that Rick leaned forward and bring their lips together.

What happened after that caused Rick to wish that he’d done this sooner when Daryl gasped from surprise and shock but later Rick felt the boy return the kiss as well as his hands slid up and anchored on Rick’s chest when their mouths moved in tandem. Daryl's lips were like heaven on his and Rick tilted his own head a little to angle the kiss and then everything suddenly felt into place in Rick's world. He smelled Daryl's scent which was sweat and musk and uniquely Daryl, it made his body respond in a way that he had to stumblingly pull back and with a protesting sound from the other boy.

Daryl laid his head on Rick's shoulder to hide his scarlet face but Rick could see that the blush had already reached the tips of his ears and he couldn't help but put small kisses on one of them.

“Daryl listen, I need to tell you something.” He managed to speak, his own voice sounding so out of the way that he didn't recognize it anymore.

“But ya already did.” Daryl slowly lifted his head, looking at him with a small shy smile resting on his lips.

“Yeah, I guess.” Rick chuckled. He's happy. So happy that his heart was growing all kind of flowers. Pretty ones. And damn he'd become Shakespeare at this rate.

“Tell me how long.”

“How long what?”

“How long have you been in love with me. I just want to know.” Rick used his hand to lift the other boy's chin up because it looked like he’s gonna drop his gaze to the ground, a habit when he's nervous.

“Since the first day I met ya. Right from the start. I... I can’t push those feelings for ya away although I know, I thought you wouldn't love me back, cuz you know, who am I to deserve this, deserve you. So I’ve tried to be your friend to be close to you and it was easy.” Daryl swallowed and continued.

“But every time I'm with you, you make me feel whole, feel like someone. And wasn't that the best thing that I've ever felt about myself. But still, I don't have the guts to tell you. I’s scared Rick, scared that when the cat’s out of the bag, everything that we've had would be all gone. And I don't want to lose it. Merle was right, I'm a coward through and through.” He sighed once he finished and Rick shook his head.

“Trust me, the only coward here is me, not you. I don't even dare to find out what you mean to me, and I just ignore it until today, when Lori and I went out together, I thought that it'd be fine with her, but it wasn't. The moment she kissed me and before it, all of it made me feel so wrong. She's a nice girl but she's not you. Standing with you right here, right now and this is what I feel right, Daryl. I don't just want somebody, I want you. _All_ of you. And I hope you know that I think you deserve more than this, hell, I don't think I'm good enough for you, ‘cause you're such an honest person and you’re sympathetic and pretty and...”

Daryl's face was showing an amused smile, his eyes seemed to say “You done yet" with one of his eyebrows lifting up into the fringe of his hair. “Ya just called me pretty.”

“Uhm, you don't like it?”

“Nah, it's a’right.” Daryl ducked his head, this time from embarrassment.

“Daryl?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I kiss you again?” Rick asked, because how could he not with that terribly cute expression?

He felt a surge of warm blood go through his whole body as Daryl slowly closed the distance between them and before their mouths met again, Rick searched for an already-there consent in Daryl's determined blue eyes. Rick tangled one hand in Daryl’s hair and tugged a little like he'd always desired to do as they kissed tenderly and the other on the boy's narrow waist.

His hair was soft. Just like how he thought it'd feel like.

Rick almost had to stop himself before he did something stupid because after a moment of mild kissing he heard Daryl make these small honest-to-God whimpers as the boy tried to pry Rick’s mouth open with his lips. But damn he wanted it bad too so he let Daryl deepen the kiss and tilted his head like the first time for better access. Their tongues met timidly at first then turned to something searing and devouring in a matter of seconds. Daryl swallowed a few times from the saliva Rick gave him as their tongues danced together feverishly. They had to pull back when their lungs burned and the discomfort from the lack of oxygen overtook the sensation of kissing.

“Jesus Christ.” Rick breathed, lips tingling. "That your second first kiss? ‘Cause it was... incredible.”

“Ya like it?” Daryl's eyes were glimmering and his irises which had dilated from the kiss were shrinking back. He said while shouldering his crossbow and bumped his shoulder with Rick's when they started to walk towards the house. Rick told him genuinely. 

"No I love it."

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Your kudos and comments always make me feel happy! And I'll be very thankful if you can point out my grammar mistakes so I can fix them since I'm not a native speaker. Bet there're a lot. Weeeep  
> The first song is September by Earth, Wind & Fire, the second is Come and get your love by Redbone. I suggest you these two songs, they're really awesome!


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